3 KC Royals prospects who must stay untouchable in trade talks

As 2024 draws to a close, Kansas City Royals fans have plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about their team’s progress over the past year. Whether it’s the remarkable 30-win turnaround, the franchise’s first playoff berth in nearly a decade, or Bobby Witt Jr.’s MVP-worthy season, the Royals have given their fans something to celebrate. The stark contrast between where this team was a year ago and where it stands now speaks volumes about how well the organization has performed across multiple facets of the game.

One area where Kansas City has made notable strides is its farm system. While the Royals’ system may not yet rank among MLB’s elite, the upward trajectory is undeniable. In 2024, on-field results were strong, the organization added exciting new talent, and revamped developmental processes began to pay dividends. Even with a low draft slot in 2025, the coaching and development infrastructure in place has the farm system steadily producing future big leaguers.

That said, the Royals still have key roster holes to address this offseason, and leveraging their prospect capital in trades could be an enticing option. However, Kansas City must strike a balance between pursuing short-term wins now, and ensuring the franchise's long-term success for the future. Sacrificing all their top-tier talent in the name of immediate gains would undermine the progress they’ve worked so hard to achieve.

With that in mind, when the Royals enter trade negotiations this offseason, here are three prospects who should be untouchable — and why.

Jac Caglianone, 1B

The Florida product's MLB ceiling is scarily high, and there are no realistic trades that should cause Kansas City to part ways with first baseman Jac Caglianone. MLB Pipeline has Caglianone as the top first base prospect in all of baseball, thanks to generational power and above-average contact at the plate. The lefty's power was on full display for the Gators in his SEC career, but he flashed that plenty of times in 2024 for the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits or in the Arizona Fall League.

“We’ve definitely seen the power on display,” Royals director of player development Mitch Maier said. “He’s driving the ball to all fields with that authority, and you just don’t see that every day. That makes us really excited. He’s a special talent.”

Kansas City drafted him as a two-way player, thanks to Caglianone's strong arm on the mound. However, even if he never throws an inning in the minors, Caglianone is the best Royals prospect since Witt came through the system. There is a real path where he makes his MLB debut in 2025, pushing as an every-day MLB player in 2026. The Royals would be foolish to sell short on the bat that can regularly deposit balls in Kauffman Stadium's fountains.

Blake Mitchell, C

The Royals drafting a high school catcher with their top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft raised some eyebrows and drew plenty of negative responses, but catcher Blake Mitchell has proven well worth the selection after his first full professional season. The Texas sensation, another former pitcher in his own right, was the only minor league catcher this past year with at least 18 home runs and 25 stolen bases, doing so mostly for the Low-A Columbia Fireflies. He netted Carolina League All-Star honors for 2024, thanks to his .815 OPS and ability to get on base for the Fireflies.

Mitchell is blocked to an extent by fellow top prospect and catcher Carter Jensen, but Mitchell's sceiling is notably higher than Jensen's. Mitchell earned the George Brett Hitter of the Year Award for the Royals' best minor-league hitter, and he catapulted himself into a fringe top-50 prospect in all of baseball by the time 2024 came to a close.

“It was really a foundational year for Blake,” Maier said. “Couldn’t be happier for the first season he had. First time playing that much baseball at the highest level he’s ever played, he did a great job.”

Catcher is becoming a more athletically demanding position, and Mitchell has the tools to do so. Between his arm, speed, and plate discipline, Mitchell's ceiling is incredibly high. Kansas City already took a gamble by selecting him when they did two years ago. Not waiting for that bet to cash in would be shortsighted for the AL Central contender.

David Shields, LHP

A newcomer to the Royals system, left-handed pitcher David Shields is a player Royals fans should be watching closely over the next few years as he develops on the farm. Kansas City selected him 41st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and the southpaw drew rave reviews from the Royals front office.

“The sky’s the limit for him,” Kansas City scouting director Brian Bridges said following Shields' selection. “We offer him a lot in player development that he’s never been exposed to, and him being young, he has time on his hands....He has a really good feel for pitching. Throws a lot of strikes. Seventeen years old, so there’s a lot more growth. The fact that he throws strikes and has three pitches and competes is definitely something I was drawn to with him.”

Prep pitching prospects are always volatile, but Kansas City must love the relatively high floor and ceiling for Shields. Scouts rave about his command for his experience level, and his repeatably delivery gives the Royals something to build upon. While chasing velocity in 2024 can be risky, Shields already had a fastball in the mid-90s before turning 18. Bridges is not exaggerating Shileds' potential, and Kansas City cannot afford to sell short on such high-ceiling players.